Textile steaming or ageing machine



Nov. 16, 1948. c. JELLINEK 2,453,796

TEXTILE STEAMING OR AGEING MACHINE Filed April 4, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR E5 (hi2;

ATTORNEYS Nov. 16, 1948. c. JELLINEK 2,453,796

TEXTILE STEAMING OR AGEING MACHINE Filed April 4, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR lm-mm:

ATTORNEYS Nov. 16, 1948. c. JELLINEK 3,

' TEXTILE STEAMING on mama MACHINE Filed April 4, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 1 6, 1948 Elliott Curt Jellinek County of. Glamorgan, Wales, now by judicial change of name Curtis Maroell Application Apr-i1 4, 1946, Serial No. 659,449 In Great Britain April 18, 1945 2 Claims. (01. es-s) This invention relates to improvements in steaming or ageing machines for printed textile fabrics and which is particularly applicable for screen printed fabrics.

Hitherto the steaming or ageing of such goods has been carried out in non-continuous machines of the "cottage" or star" types or in continuous machines through which the fabric travels from end to end of the steaming chamber in zig-zag fashion over rollers or in loops suspended from rods.

of non-continuous machinesis not satisfactory owing to the large amount of printing paste deposited on the fabric which necessitates the wrapping of the fabric in a grey cloth to prevent the paste from being smeared all over the printed fabric, this requiring a length of grey cloth equal to the length of the fabric. The grey cloth requires washing and drying after each treatment for which large washing and drying installations are necessary. The usual continuous machines are also unsatisfactory for the same reasons since in the roller type of machine even if only the back of the fabric comes into contact with the rollers the printing paste penetrates through the fabric to the back thereof and smearing takes place whilst if a machine is used in which the fabric is suspended in loops from rods the surface of one loop is liable to come into contact with that of the next loop and smearing again results. Either of the aforesaid types of machines are particularly unsuitable for treating discharge styles of screen prints.

Attempts have been made to produce continu- For steaming or ageing screen prints the use The object of the invention is a steaming or v ageing machine which will overcome the disadvantages of the usual continuous machines and which will give a much greater output than the machines already suggested for overcoming these disadvantages without the machine having to be constructed of great length. The machine form* ing the invention also has the further feature that as the fabric is suspended vertically during the steaming process, the steam will have easy and even access to all parts of the fabric, such feature being particularly advantageous in ageing vat prints, aniline black discharges and all other colours where over-heating of the fabric is not desirable.

The machine according to the invention co sists of two chambers. a main chamber in which the actual steaming takes place and a preliminary chamber (hereinafter referred to as the antechamber) which prevents the escape of steam and assists in maintaining air free conditions in the main chamber, the main chamber being supported so that its baseis some distance above ground or floor level and the antechamber being inclined so that its base rises from ground, floor or other level to the level of the base of the main chamber, a travelling chain or the like provided with hooks or pins by which the fabric'is suspended along one selvedge, traversing the'fabric through the two chambers, the path of the chain through the main chamber is a meander, i. e. a series of straight paths at right angles to one another gradually decreasing in length until the chain approaches the centre of the chamber when the direction is reversed and is continuedoutwardly in a second series of straight paths at right angles to one another gradually increasing in length, the

second series beingbetween the corresponding portions of the first series whereby the portion of the fabric travelling inwardly will not come into -contact with or rub against the portion travelling outwardly provided the two series are suitably spaced apart.

I The invention is illustrated in and will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional elevation of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan thereof;

. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of two links of the travelling chain;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of a link;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a corner of the main chamber showing means for supplying steam thereto;

Figs. 6 and 7 are a diagrammatic end view and transverse section respectively showing the formation of the slots, through which the fabric passes from one chamber to the next.

The steaming or ageing machine consists of two chambers, a main chamber A in which the steam ing takes place and an antechamber B through which the fabric passes to the chamber A and which prevents the escape of steam from the machine and also assists in maintaining air-free conditions in the main chamber A.

The main chamber A is carried on suitable supports A to raise its floor a. above the level of the ground or floor and the floor b of the antechamber B is inclined so that it rises from the ground or floor level to the level of the floor of the chamber A.

The fabric is traversed through the two chainbers A and B by an endless travelling chain C, the links of which are flexible both horizontally and vertically and carry pins or hooks C to which one selvedge of the fabric is attached. The chain C is supported by suitable guides D in the antechamber B and guides D in the main chamber A. The guides D in the antechamber B form an upwardly curved path, the curve preventing foldingof thefabric when it enters the main chamber which would occur if the path of the chain C were suddenly changed at that point from an,

inclined one to a horizontal one.

D in such a way that the pins or hooks C on which the fabric is suspended are as near underneath the middle of the chain guides as'possible, to avoid stretch of the material. The chain C, which is of light construction, is driven according to the size of the machine in one or more positions. In the accompanying drawings chain C is shown as being driven by sprocket wheels c on one diagonal of the meander which are all driven by a central drive 0 preferably from a variable speed gear 0 to allow the speed of travel of thechain to be varied to suit the requirements of the fabric being treated. Sprock- The guide'D for the chain 0 inthe main or steaming chamber A is a meander," i. e. a series of straight paths (1 at right angles to one another gradually decreasing in length until the chain C approaches the centre of the chamber when the direction of the guide is reversed and is continued. outwardly in a second series of straight paths d at right angles to one another and gradually increasing in length. The sec- 0nd series of paths d lies between corresponding portions of the first series d.

i After leaving the main chamber A the chain C is guided back through the antechamber B by distance von a level run before passing over a,

sprocket wheel e or the like to reverse its direction of travel on this level run outside the chamber E. The fabric is seeuredto the pins 0 of the chain C before the latter enters the chamber E and is removed therefrom when the chain leaves the chamber after having travelled through the three chambers A, B and E. The provision of thechamber E facilitates the steam exhaustionfrom the apparatus.

The height of the main chamber A depends upon thewidth of the fabric to be traced and the height of the lower end of the antechamber B must be at least such, that the upper selvedge ofthe fabric, travelling at the lowest point in the antechamber is not higher than the lowest point of the main chamber. This prevents waste of steam and ensures air free conditions in the main chamber.

The distance between the outward and return guides for the chain C and consequently between the part of the fabric traveling in one direction and the part travelling in the other direction may et wheels 0 not driven, are provided to facilitate the alteration of direction of the chain 0. The steam inlet may be situated at the top or bottom of the main chamber A or both, or steam may be generated in heating pipes situated in water at the bottom of the main chamber.

To obtain air free conditions steam spray pipes F may be arranged at the top of the chamber A as shown in Fig. 5 around all the sides, the pipes F being partially surrounded by a curved guard For roller prints where touching of the fabric plate F to prevent splashing.

Between the main charmber A and the antechamber B, and between the antechamber B and the auxiliary chamber E, and in the outer end of the auxiliar chamber E are vertical or slanting slots for the passage of the fabric as it is traversed through the machine. These slots may be vertical or as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the slots H may be slanting and in either case they are surrounded by heating elements such as the steam pipes 71..

All the slots should be as narrow as possible but in the case of vertical slots they should be sufficiently wide for the fabric to pass without touching the sides. In the case of slanting slots the back of the fabric rests on the lower sides h Fig. 7, and for certain fabrics a piece of grey cloth should be carried by all the hooks of the the bottom of the main chamber A with exhaust steam outlets 12 The auxiliary E chamber is also provided with separate exhaust outlets e The steam exhaust may be natural or by a fan. Preferably the antechamber B is exhausted naturally and the auxiliary chamber E by a fan. Additional steam exhaust apertures a may be situated at the lowest levelof the main chamber A. All exhausts may be provided with butterfly valves. For the heating up period the slots H situated between the antechamber B and main chamber A. are provided with closing devices h Fig. 6 to ensure the elimination of all air. All the slots may be also provided with devices to alter their length according to the width of material being treated.

The fabric may be attached to the hooks or pins 0 of the chain C either by hand or led thereto by a suitable mechanical device from a roll or batch and after leaving the machine it may be removed from the hooks or pins either by hand. or by draw rollers or other suitable device.

To prevent condensation on the chain guides D and D these are either attached to the heated tops of the chambers or connected therewith. Steam pipes may be situated immediately above the chain guides particularly above the. portion situated outside the chambers, where the fabric is placed onto the pins and removedtherefrom.

Manholes areprovided to give access to theinterior of the chambers and windows for observation purposes. Also if desired acid injection devices may be provided for carrying out special processes. a

I claim:

1. A steaming machine of the continuous type for textile fabrics comprising a main chamber in which the fabric is steamed, supports for said chamber to raise the level of its base, an antechamber through which the fabric. passes into and out of the. main chamber to prevent the escape of steam and assist in maintaining air free conditions in the main chamber, the base of the antechamber being inclined upwards from below the main chamber to level with the base thereof, an endless travelling means for carrying the fabric through the antechambcr and the main cham- 'ber, suspension devices carried by saidmeans approaches the centre of the-chamber when the direction is reversed and is continued outwardly in a second series of straight paths at right angles to one another gradually increasingin length, the second series being between the corresponding portions of the first series whereby the portion of the fabric travelling inwardly will not come into contact with or rub against the portion travelling outwardly provided the two series are suitably spaced apart.

2. A steaming machine of the continuous type for textile fabrics comprising a mainchamber in which the fabric is steamed, supports for said chamber to raise the level of its base, an antechamber through which the fabric, passes into and out of the main chamber to prevent the escape of steam and assist in maintaining air free conditions in the main chamber, the base of the antechamber being inclined upwards from below the main chamber to level with the base thereof,

an endless travelling means for carrying the fabrip through the antechamber and the main chamber, suspension devices carried by said means from which the fabric is suspended, and a trackdirection is reversed and is continued outwardly the main chamber.

CURT JELLINEK.

REFERENCES cr'rnn The following references are of record; in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 578,008 Gadd Mar. 2, 1897 1,036,840 Haw Aug. 27, 1912 2,239,424 F Iler Apr. 22, 1941 

